


Dear Lucas

by SilencedThoughts



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer, 5SOS
Genre: Angst, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-26
Updated: 2017-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-23 10:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4873921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilencedThoughts/pseuds/SilencedThoughts
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“We hated each other. We fell in love. I gave a little; you gave too much. You said you loved me, but I left you that night. And now I want to say sorry, it was never my intention to leave like that. So please, dear Lucas, I’m begging you.<br/>Believe me when I say, I never fell out of love from you.” </p><p>or</p><p>When Luke receives a letter from a person who broke his heart 2 years ago, he realises that he never really fell out of love from this girl, and will do anything to bring her back. </p><p>~<br/>yeah please forgive me, I suck at summaries, or writing in general. This is something that's been annoying me for months so yeah here's Chloe Lyle's story of how she broke Luke Hemming's heart because she loved him too much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Letter

Lucas,

I’m sorry.  
I’m sorry for a lot of things. Hurting you, lying to you, leaving you…just to name a few. I know that you must hate me right now; no…I’m quite sure of it. It’s been 2 years, since I left you that night without any explanation, without any notice.  
But you see, Lucas I was scared. I was scared because you loved me too much. That’s really messed up don’t you think?  
I was scared because I don’t think I could give you the love that you truly deserve. I was nothing, Lucas. You have your whole life planned out, while I…well, you know me.  
I’m sorry for bailing out on you. I just---I can’t---. You’ve been through so much Lucas, I didn’t want to put you in another messed up situation considering the fact that we were already in one. 

But I want you to know one thing Lucas. The only truth. The ugly truth---I left. I lied. I never came back, but I did it, all of it, for you. I’m sorry if I can’t explain anything to you, after two years I still find it hard to do. I want to spare you the truth, Lucas.  
I’m sorry for being selfish. 

If you were wondering why I’m contacting you now, it’s because of a promise I made with Ashton. He knew, Lucas. I never wanted him to but he did. And I asked him to keep it from you, I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else, so if you can’t wait a little bit longer I will explain everything to you.  
I know you’ve moved on. I know you’ve probably found someone else. I’m not doing this to get you back because I know---we both know that you deserve so much better.  
Please don’t be mad at Ashton, and I would really be thankful if you won’t tell him about this letter. Or if you would tell him I really don’t have a say in that.  
I just want to ask for a little more time, I’ll give you the explanation as to why I left you alone that night, two years ago. 

But Lucas, don’t try to find me. I know that you won’t but I’m going to say this, just so. Don’t try to find me because you won’t. You found me once Lucas, and I can assure you that, that won’t happen again. 

I’m sorry, Lucas.  
I love you. 

F.Y.  
Chloe


	2. Uno

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke wasn't the first one to see the letter, it was Michael, and as what would happen later on, it also crushed his world apart.

Four Hours Before

Luke Hemmings wasn’t the one who found the letter. It was Michael Clifford. He didn’t really know why but he woke up three hours earlier than the usual time of his waking which was at 12 noon. It was a Saturday so hey, whatever right? It was 8 in the morning so he tried to go back to sleep, he was up till 3 am playing some video game he was (currently) addicted to. The sleep never came though, so he decided to head downstairs, when he caught sight of their kitchen he realized that he hadn’t eaten his dinner the other night, he was too busy playing. So he walked to the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and his bed hair.  
He found a leftover pizza, so he microwaved it for three minutes, but before it could even make that annoying sound it makes when it finishes, he decided to pull the plug and grab the scorching hot pizza (just like him). He really didn’t know what possessed him to go out but he did, he went for the mail with a pizza on one hand and waved at the passing dog that seemed to have wanted his pizza but he’s not keen on sharing it. 

It was really exciting to receive fan mails. But he was kind of happy that only a few people know their real address, getting fan mails is awesome but being bombarded by it? Not so much.  
He got seven, Ashton got nine, Calum got seven and Luke got eight. Only when he was looking through the bills he saw that Luke got nine. Because there was one letter squeezed between those bills with only his name, Lucas, at the back. When he recognized the writing he almost dropped the glass that he was holding. It can’t be true. For a long time he thought she was dead, but apparently he was wrong, because in his hands lies the proof that Chloe Brien is alive. 

Michael didn’t know what to do, he was just staring at the piece of envelope that was meant for Luke, Calum was the second one to wake up, throwing on his boxers, not bothering to fix up his hair. He spotted Michael looking like he’s about to shit himself right then, “Mikey, are you okay?” Michael then looked at him with help written in his face then puckered up his lips to point out to the letter in front of him. “What? You’ve been reading fan mails again? You got a hate mail this time? Man I told you to —-“ Calum stopped what he was about to say when he saw the letter Michael was looking at. “Oh fucking hell.” was the only thing that got out of his mouth when he recognized the handwriting they missed.  
After a few minutes of staring and thinking of what to do, they still haven’t reached a reasonable conclusion. They thought of reading the letter but, it was Luke’s so they shouldn’t. They thought about waking Luke up but it would be a big shock to him so they didn’t. So they waited for Luke to wake up which didn’t take that long enough because he heard them bickering all the way to his room (yes they were bickering). So when he went out he was wearing an over-used shirt and some boxers, both Michael and Calum stiffened and had the same look on their faces which could be seen as a sign of someone who’s about to shit in their pants.  
“What’s wrong?” Luke asked when he saw their faces (he tried not to laugh) “Oh yeah, when will Ashton come back?” But no one answered him “Guys. You’re freaking me out. What happened?”  
Calum took a deep breath and told him the truth, “You have a letter.”  
Luke raised one of his eyebrows. “Fan mail?”  Michael shook his head, “No, it’s from Chloe.”  
The glass Luke Hemmings was holding shattered, just like his heart did a few years back when Chloe walked out of his life.

Luke had mixed feelings about this, it’s been 2 years so why would Chloe write a letter adressed to him now?

When Luke finally had the courage to open and read the letter, a full thirty minutes passed. He had to read the letter twice because the first time all he saw was ‘I’m sorry’ ‘I love you’ ‘I want to spare you the truth.’ ‘Loved you too much’ ‘Chloe’, not to mention the tears streaming down his face that made everything so fucking blurry.  
“What did she say?” Calum asked when Luke set down the letter.  
He wanted to answer but he couldn’t, there’s so many questions that he badly wanted to be answered.  
“Luke. What did she say?” Michael was the one who asked him this time.  
He wanted to answer, but he can’t.  
Calum stood up, he couldn’t bear looking at look in that state, he got the message that he can’t answer their questions so he tried a different one. “Did she tell you where she is right now?”  
Luke shook his head. Sensing Luke’s loneliness, Michael wrapped his arm around Luke and told him that he will find her again since he already found her once.  Luke winced when Michael said those words, “She said that…” they were lost, wanting an explanation “That it won’t happen again.”  
Calum decided that it was too much for him to handle so he sat down, “Do you want to find her?” he asked.  
Luke was torn, there was a war between his mind and heart. His mind kept on yelling ‘No why would you want to look for her? she left you all alone!’ but his heart whipered ‘Yes’.  “Are you still in love with her?”  
It was Luke that got lost, his heart sank. Not because of the question but because of the truth, that truth that he kept on denying, that even after 2 years, his heart still yearns for Chloe. 

There was only one thing that he can do now, taking a deep breath he went to his room and grabbed his phone and called Chloe’s Mom.  
When the call connected, Luke didn’t get to say hello because the other line bombarded him with question.  
“Chloe? Is this you? Where are you? Whe— Hello?”  
“Uhh…Hello.”  
“Oh, so you’re not Chloe?”  
“Mrs Lyle, it’s Luke.”  
“Luke?” then silence “Oh! Luke, is she there with you? Thank goodness.”  
“No, uhh i’m actually calling about Chloe.”  
“Really?”  
“Yes. I was going to ask you if you’d happen to know where she is, but I guess that you don’t.”  
“Oh, yeah. So she isn’t there either? Oh dear.”  
“Why What happened?” Luke panicked  
“She left a week ago, and—“  
“And you don’t know where she is? Have you talked to the cops?”  
“No, she does that. One time she left for four days but the problem is she never went away longer than that.”  
“Do you have any idea where she is?”  
“Haven’t the faintest, I htink Amy does though.” “But…Mrs Lyle, why are you so calm?”  
“Oh, I’m not.” “How about her school though? She’s in college right?” “She dropped out.”  
“What? Why?”  
“She doesn’t need the grades.” Luke was about to ask what that meant but Mrs Lyle told him “Her words not mine. She dropped out about a year, no two years ago. She told you that remember?”  
“She didn’t..”  
“Oh, she told me she’d tell you, before you guys…”  
“Well, uh she didn’t.”  
“Did she…tell you anything else?’ “No..”  
“…that night?”  
“None Mrs Lyle, so uh I’m just well I want to ask you something.”  
“Yes dear?” “Uhh well Chloe, she sent me a letter.”  
“….” “She wants me to tell you that she’s fine and I want to ask you if I could have her phone number?”  
“…sure.” 

When the call ended Mrs Lyle sent him Chloe’s phone number. Luke smiled, though that wasn’t the case for the person on the other line, she was silently crying for she knew that it has begun.

When Luke finally got the courage to call Chloe’s number, he almost passed out when the other line answered.  
“Chloe?” he managed to say, though he thinks it sounded like ‘Chroo’  
He cleared his throat and tried again, “Chloe?”  
“Who’s this?” the other line finally called out, but he didn’t recognize the voice, but he was sure that it wasn’t Chloe because he would know.  
“Who are you? Why do you have Chloe’s phone?” Luke asked, but the other one just chuckled.  
“Who are you and why do you have her phone number?”  
“Amy?” Luke asked recognizing the rude attitude.  
“Lucas. Why are you calling my sister? Bashed your head on a wall or something?”  
Luke never like Amy, everyone knew it, even Amy knows it that’s why she’s so keen on pissing him off. “I want to know where she is.”  
“She left.” Amy answered in a bitter tone, as if she’s accusing him.  
“Where?” after n eerie silence, Amy finally answered, “You received her letter didn’t you?”  
“Yes and I—“ “Don’t call her ever again. Stop bothering her Luke.”  
“Hey. She was the one who sent a letter not me.”  
But as usual Amy didn’t listen to him, “Don’t try to find her Lucas. You broke her once, and you want to break her even more? Stop it Lucas. Leave my sister alone.”

Luke stared at his phone.  
He’s clearly not getting any answers from Chloe or AMy so there’s only one person left. Ashton.

Ashton’s car pulled up at exactly 3:17 in the morning. Luke would know because he was waiting for him, it wasn’t that kind of question that would make him sleep so, why not wait for the person who can answer his questions right?  
“Luke? Why are you stilla wake?” Ashton asked when he saw Luke sitting at the couch.  “I was waiting for you.” Ashton smiled and made a comment Luke didn’t bother to pay attention to, “What do you know about Chloe?”  
Ashton’s smile faded, “We’ll talk tomorrow.”  
“No. I can’t sleep, do you understand that? Did you know that she dropped out of school before we bro— she broke up with me?”  
Ashton looked irked but he sat down. “Yes. I know all about that Luke. The question is how did you?”  
“She sent me a letter this mo—“ Luke never got to ask any questions again because Ashton looked stricken. “She what? Did she say anything? Let me see the letter. What did she tell you?”  
“No. Just tell me, what do you know about that night 2 years ago!”  
“Luke! Did she say where she was?”  
“What? No! Just answer my question okay? Ashton. Why did she break up with me?” 

Ashton gave up, and sat back down the couch. He ran his hands through his hair and told Luke the truth that would forever haunt him 

“A week before you guys broke up, she tried to kill herself.”  
 Luke’s knees grew weak. 

“She broke up with you because she thought you deserved better. And that she didn’t deserve you.” Ashton took a deep breath and muttered “She broke up with you because she loved you too damn much.”


	3. Their first Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story of how a certain blue-eyed guy met the one who thought was the love of his life, but still in the end, broke his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please forgive me. english is not my first language, and I've never been to Australia so these are all some made up shits I'm so sorry

They weren’t the famous people that they are today when they first met. It so happened that Chloe moved to Australia the same time that the band started forming, Chloe live together with her Aunt Mary because her parents couldn’t afford to send her to college. (not because of the money but because her father believed that it was no use in sending her to college, she wasn’t the brightest kid out there however her sister was so hey decided to save the money for her instead) 

It was summer when she arrived at her Aunt’s house, though the weather’s always for summer back there, she had nothing better to do so she decided applying for different jobs. Finding a job is hard, and it’s harder when you’re a 17-year-old girl who just got into Australia from London who’s looking for a job. Imagine the horror. But after 2 weeks and 25 different job applications, she finally landed in one, it was in a coffee shop, a small stipend but she was fine with that. She loves the smell of coffee, so working out there at the café would be really fun. (free coffee for the employees too)

It was in a Tuesday morning when they met for the first time. For Dey’s Café, Tuesdays were worse than Mondays (no one knows why). Chloe was cleaning up the tables when a guy came inside. The first thing she noticed were his eyes. They were beautiful with the color of the ocean. He was tall, and had this dirty blond hair in a quiff. He was handsome, till Chloe saw his pants. She almost laughed when she recognized them, she had the exact same pair of pants in her closet. She guessed that that’s just how it works nowadays, you can’t be handsome and straight.  
  After contemplating on the idea of crushing on this guy, she arrived at the conclusion of no. (She thought, ‘If he’s wearing girl’s pants, he’s probably wearing panties as well.’) Chloe just focused on removing the coffee stain left at the table. Then the bells at the door chimed when she looked at the person who came in, she immediately thought, ‘’asian” then he noticed her looking at him that’s why, to be polite, he gave her a smile and for the very same reason, she smiled back. 

After that small interaction with a costumer that she swore would never happen again, she headed back to the kitchen to place the utensils in the washer. “Jane,” she called out after washing the plates. “When will Joey comeback?” Jane is the cashier and Joey, her twin, was the cook. They’ve worked here for several years now, they never seem to want to leave the place. (Chloe had no idea back then that Joey and Jane were the children of the owner. ) “I don’t know, he took the car right?” Chloe nodded remembering that Joey asked her for the car keys. “He probably broke down somewhere. He’ll be back-Here” Jane said handing Chloe two cups of coffee and a chocolate cake. “Serve these okay?” Chloe nodded then grabbed the tray. The two boys were laughing and talking about rhymes when she approached them. “Here’s your order sir…” Chloe read the name at the cup “Sir Calum.” The Asian guy raised his hand and said “That’s me, and oh, I’m not Asian.” Chloe just laughed, “So you must be Luke.” she said handing the blue-eyed giant his coffee. She smiled at him, he blushed. “Oh hey,” Calum said interrupting the awkward silence “We need your help about something.” Chloe dropped down the chocolate cake at the table then asked Calum about his question “Well, what rhymes with art?” “What’s the sentence?” Chloe asked “Your lipstick stain is a work of art.” Chloe hugged the tray and muttered “So it’s about a girl, hmmm,” Chloe looked at Calum who’s looking expectantly and she noticed his tattoo, then an idea popped into her mind. “Your name’s tattooed in an arrowed heart?” The blue-eyed guy looked at her with amusement in his eyes. “Well, I’ll leave you two now. Enjoy your meal.” 

Chloe has a thing for poetry. She loves writing them. So when she went back to the counter, she grabbed her notebook and pen then started writing down some lines. 

In a cafe we first met  
on a Tuesday morning,  
I can’t ever forget  
how your eyes sparkled  
the color of blue,  
how your cheeks turned red  
from blushing, yes that’s true

 

“What are you doing?” Chloe jumped and threw her notebook at Joey’s direction.   
“Dude! Stop doing that!” Even Jane is now laughing, they’ve always been like that.   
Joey picked up her notebook, (still laughing) and asked “So, writing your diary?”  “It’s called poetry, jack-ass.”   
“What do you want?” Chloe asked him and grabbed her notebook.   
“I just got back! Stop harassing me!”   
Chloe rolled her eyes at him. “I’m going to tell—-“ “I’m going to go inside the kitchen now and stay out of your sight goodbye.” Joey announced almost immediately when Chloe took out her trump card on him.   
Chloe laughed, Joey laughed, and Jane laughed. What Chloe didn’t know was a pair of eyes was watching, a pair of blue eyes, enthralled by her laugh wondering who it was that me her laugh like that. 

Calum was looking at Luke.   
“Hey! Focus mate. I know she’s hot but come on!”   
Luke snapped back to reality, “Hot?”   
“fine. pretty.” Luke shook his head.   
“Man,” Luke said looking back at Chloe “Beautiful doesn’t even begin to cover it.”

But still up to this day  
Chloe didn’t get to finish her poem.  
She stopped writing poetry  
It doesn’t matter now  
Luke’s not there to read them  
And she was the one who sent him away.


	4. When Fate was in their favor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time when they met and fell inlove

They all figured out that something was wrong the moment Luke walked through the front door.   
He couldn’t stop grinning like an idiot.   
“Dude, stop.” Ashton told him but Luke didn’t stop, because he didn’t want to and the fact that he hadn’t heard hi, he was too busy remembering her face and rolling the pen between his fingers while trying to drabble lyrics for a new song.   
“Hey Cal, what on earth is wrong with him?” asked Michael who was weirded out by the way the other one was acting.  
“Oh,” Calum stopped writing, took a one look at Luke and said “He met a girl earlier and he was poof, wasted.” He explained as if everyone would understand what happened immediately after that and funnily enough, they dropped what they were doing and stared at Calum like he had said that Luke ate a dog’s poop just for kicks. 

Okay people fall in love at first sight but…meeting in a café on a Wednesday sounds like the beginning of the most cliché song ever. However, if this was true then all that they could do is support it. So they all hugged Luke and congratulated him.   
“What the fuck man?” he exclaimed.  
“Don’t fucking swear.” “What was she like?” Ashton and Michael said at the same time.  
Luke smiled as if by just referencing her made him live in that moment when their eyes met.   
“Man it was…I know this sounds shit but I don’t have any other way to describe it rather than magical.” Michael smacked his arm and said “DUDE YOU’RE CORNY.” But you can see in his smile that he too was happy for his friend.   
“What’s her name?”   
Luke snapped back into reality and muttered a small “Oh fuck.”   
They all began laughing.   
“Man. Your game is weak!” Michael told him.   
“Luke you didn’t ask his name?” Ashton asked his hands on his knees.   
“Her name was Chloe.” Calum stated   
“How did you know?” Luke asked, Calum rolled his eyes and said “Her nametag. Duh”   
Which made Ashton and Michael laugh even harder.   
Luke didn’t mind the laughs the lads gave him; he was happy because he knew his name. Chloe.   
And he thought to his self, even her name speaks of beauty. 

*  
Due to their busy schedule, Luke didn’t have the time to visit the café.   
Although one particular morning, 13 days after the moment they met that once in a lifetime chance finally appeared.   
“Dude, I’m starving.” Michael exclaimed they’ve just finished recording a song that will be in their album.  
“I know a place.” Luke piped in hoping that he would ask where so that he could pitch in the café Chloe was working at.   
“Where?”   
“Uhh... Dey’s café.” Luke said bashfully.   
Ashton smiled, and gave the others a look that said ‘Don’t tease him’.   
“Sure. Let’s go. I’ll drive.” Ashton stated, Luke was the first one to stand up and pack his things.   
“Easy there tiger. You’ll see her.” Ashton whispered.   
“Is it really that obvious?”  
“Man. You’ve been saying that you wanted to go back there ever since. Yeah of course it was obvious.” Calum stated and took his bag pack and headed outside to Ashton’s car.   
Michael just gave him a nod and said “Don’t worry mate, you’ll see her again. Well, if today isn’t her day off of course.”   
Luke laughed and exclaimed “Dude! Don’t jinx it.” 

It was a 30-minute drive. 30 minutes of pure torture and prayers that she would be there.   
But when they got there, she’s no where in sight. 

“Where is she?” Michael whispered.   
“I...I don’t know.”  
“Come on man. Let’s just order something.” Calum told them seeing the disappointment in Luke’s face.  
When they reached the counter a girl looked at them funnily.   
“Aren’t you Luke? And Calum and Ashton and Michael?” and they smiled and nodded yes.   
“Wow, you really do have some pretty blue eyes just like how she described.”   
Ashton looked at her in a confused manner and asked “What?”  
“Oh, my friend wrote a poem about him.”   
“Chloe?” Luke asked in disbelief.  
“You know her name??”   
“Woah. Wait you mean—“  
“Jane! Where’s Joey?” Said a voice so familiar to Luke “The car died 30 minutes away from here. You need to replace that crappy car an--- Oh. I didn’t realize that you were talking to someone. I’m sorry.” She said before they could respond.  
“Wait. You mean to say you walked all the way to here?” Jane asked in disbelief,   
“Nope. I used my board. My phone died and I need you to call for a tow.”   
“Sure. Oh and by the way, your muse is here.”  
Chloe quickly blushed and looked at Luke who was still staring at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Jane.”   
“You’re a writer?” Ashton asked.  
“No” “She’s a poet.” Jane butted in.   
“That’s why you said those lyrics so perfectly.” Calum stated remembering him asking her for help.  
She blushed even harder.   
“If you guys want to see her work just look at the frames all over the place, her pen-name’s the ‘lost wander’.” Chloe shrieked “Jane!” the boys just laughed. “Just get their order for fucks sake.”   
Chloe headed inside to charge her phone then went back to Jane to help her with the coffee. “Babe, where’s my car.” Greeted Joey when she appeared. Chloe rolled her eyes and said “currently being towed.” Joey’s face expressed an emotion that they couldn’t quite figure out.   
“Chloe. Take these to your muse.”   
“Ugh. He is not my muse!”   
Chloe said and took their order.   
She looked for the boys and when she found it he wasn’t there.   
“Uhh. Here’s your order.” She said quietly and gave them what they came here for.   
Calum smiled, when he noticed her looking for Luke. “He’s over there. Finding where your poems are and then he’ll come back here so we could read it all together.”   
Chloe blushed harder than the apple offered to Snow White. “Oh God. Please don’t.”   
“Why? You wrote them.”   
“Which is exactly why I don’t want anyone to read it.”   
Michael stared at her, “I didn’t get that. It’s posted in the café.”  
“Under a pen-name but now you guys know about it and—Shit he’s looking for my poems?” Chloe realized and began looking for Luke.  
“Did you really write a poem about him?”   
“Yeah—But.”   
“Hey! I found em—“ Luke said and smiled at Chloe.  
Chloe stopped the boys from getting up and said “If you read those I swear to God you will not be able to enter here.”   
And apparently, Jane heard this so she shouted “I got your back guys! Go read them. They’re really beautiful.”   
“Frick.” Chloe muttered and grabbed the tray as Ashton, Calum and Michael went to look at the places Luke went to.  
“I didn’t read them, I swear. Well the one that’s about me.” Luke pitched in.   
“I’m sorry.”  
“For what?”  
“For using you as a muse.”   
Luke blushed when she said it, “I’m actually flattered. Thank you for doing that.”   
Chloe looked at him and said “Oh. Well, it’s just really your eyes I wrote about or something…so please don’t be weirded out by it.”   
“Hey. I told you, I’m flattered. I mean, I write songs and I know how it’s like to have a muse.”   
Chloe looked at him, quite disappointed (she didn’t know why) “Oh. Well then I’m glad. Uhh. I have to go now.”  
Chloe walked away. Luke didn’t know what had gotten into him but he grabbed her had to stop her and said something so quickly that even I, didn’t catch it.   
“What?” Chloe asked.   
“I was asking if you would maybe want to come sit with me…with us for a while?”   
“Oh.” Chloe said, and Luke immediately regretted everything that he said because Chloe looked like she was going to punch him in the face, “I’d love to but I’ve got to go home early today.”   
Luke looked down and felt like he was stabbed in his chest a thousand times over, that was until Chloe said the words “Maybe next time?”  
He then looked up and saw that she was looking at him with a smile and he couldn’t help but return the gesture.   
“Absolutely. Uhh, I don’t know how to contact you though.”   
“Was that you asking for my number?”   
“That depends,” Luke said with a newly found confidence “Will you be willing to give it to me?”   
“Well, how am can I refuse my muse?” she said jokingly as she scribbled something on her notepad. “There enjoy your day.”   
“I certainly will.”   
Chloe and Luke both parted ways with smiles plastered on their faces.

“Man, she likes you.” Calum said when they were seated into Ashton’s car.   
“Totally, that poem she wrote? Man, it was the best one I have ever read.” Michael stated.   
Luke just smiled at them.   
“You didn’t really read her poems?”   
“Well, I read the others except the one that she wrote about me.”   
“Why on earth would you do that?” Ashton exclaimed.   
“Well, she told me to not look at it so I didn’t.”   
“That was a really great piece though.” Calum remarked.  
“So, when’s your next date?” Michael asked to which Luke replied probably tomorrow.   
“You got her number?” Ashton asked when they stopped at a stoplight.   
“Yeah. I don’t think I should text her so soon though…right?”   
Then a chorus of yes and no’s echoed around the car.   
“Dude, what are you waiting for?” Michael said  
“Dude no. There’s a three-day rule for that!” Calum told him.  
Luke was torn as the other three kept on arguing about when to call a lady and when not to.  
*  
Luke texted her.   
Three days after their meeting at exactly 9:18 in the morning. 

:Hey, this is Luke, are you free today? 

Chloe: Hi Luke. Yup, I am free today. Why? 

:Well, you owe me a hang-out. You forgot?

Chloe: I was just kidding. Of course I remembered that, so where to? 

: How about dinner? 

Chloe: Yeah. Sure that’ll be nice. Not in a fancy restaurant though okay? I don’t money for that. 

: Of course, I’ll pick you up at 7? 

Chloe: In the shop? Sure. 

: See you later. 

Chloe: You too. 

 

Luke screamed when she said yes to the date.   
Well, it wasn’t a date right? For a date, both parties should know that it was a date but right now it looks like Luke was the only one who knows.   
“She said yes?” Ashton asked to which Luke nodded.  
“Man, I’m planning to take her to dinner to some place down town.” Luke told him, “What should I wear?”   
“Well, put on something that can be seen as casual and formal.” Calum told him.   
“You going to pick her up?” Michael asked Luke.   
“Yeah. Ashton, can I borrow your car?”   
“Can I trust you with her?”   
“Man. Of course I’ll be careful in driving. She’ll be with me for fucks sake.”   
“Don’t fucking swear.” Ashton told him “Let’s see what you’ll wear. Huddle up everybody!”   
And so they did, Ashton began assigning work. Luke was told to take a shower because there’s only 4 hours till 7 p.m. and then Calum looked for clothes that would seem fit for the occasion. Michael was asked to do the same. While Ashton cleaned his car full of trash.   
Ashton finished an hour later and walked in the room with Michael and Calum shouting at Luke to go faster because he’s got tons of clothes to try on. They weren’t kidding. The bed was full of clothes you won’t be able to see the bed.   
37 tries later they arrived at a conclusion that Luke should wear the very first pair of clothes he tried on. 

“Okay. This is stupid. I don’t need that foundation okay?” Luke shouted at the people in front of him. “I just need some wax to style my hair.”   
So they all stepped aside and let him be.   
An hour later he stepped outside and all of them clapped.  
“You clean up good.”   
“Go on a date with me sweetheart!!!” Michael screamed in a girly voice. Luke grabbed a pillow and threw it into Michael’s face and all of them laughed.   
Ashton grabbed his shoulders and said “Take care of my car. If you scratch it; I will kill you.”   
“I won’t I already told you okay?” 

Luke arrived at the café 37 minutes before they said that they would meet.   
The drive was at the very least 30 minutes from where he was and in that time he managed to buy chocolates and flowers. You probably know by now the speed he was in and the amount of signs of the cross civilians did when they saw the car streak past them.   
He went inside the café and laughed because it should’ve been at the woman’s house and not at the place she was working at. So he made a silent vow that he would then do it better the next time around. In his defense, he didn’t know where she lived.   
When he went inside he saw her standing there trying to defend herself from the lipstick that Jane was putting on.   
“Look. I don’t need a lipstick! It’ll just be ruined when we eat.” She complained  
“It’s waterproof and kiss-proof. Just put it on!”  
“HE’S NOT GOING TO KISS ME. For fucks sake.”   
Luke let out a laugh and headed towards Chloe but the moment that she turned around he stopped to take in the beauty he was privileged to see.   
“Wow. You look amazing. Not that you don’t look amazing from the first day that we met but it’s just wow you look so pretty, no pretty doesn’t even begin to cover it.”   
“Okay. You can shut up now.” Jane told him “You’ll ruin everything if you say anything after that.”   
Luke gave her the flowers and the chocolates.   
“Thank you.” Chloe said still blushing from the words that he spoke earlier.   
“So, shall we go?”   
“No! I’m not yet done!” Jane screamed.   
“Jane please. I don’t—“  
Then Joey appeared and looked at Luke.   
“Nice suit.” He remarked. Chloe then took in Luke’s appearance, he was wearing slacks and a white shirt with an overcoat and she felt under-dressed.  
“Should I change clothes?”   
Luke shook his head “You look amazing.”   
“But—I feel underdressed”   
She looked down at what she was wearing, she was wearing a dress which she insisted to put leggings underneath, and a jacket.   
“No of course not. You look amazing okay? So, shall we?”   
Chloe smiled and took his hand “We shall.” 

*  
There are just some times that the universe would align for people to meet.   
Some people say it’s coincidence, some believe it’s fate others believe it’s cupid.   
Lucas never believed any of that, but looking at Chloe while she laughs at a joke that he told her, made him believe; that maybe it was meant to be that he chose to go into that café instead of their usual.   
Maybe it was meant to be that they came in exactly at her shift, maybe it really was meant to be that she was the one to bring their order.   
Maybe what happened was meant to be.   
“You are so bad at jokes.” Chloe told him.  
“Hey, at least you’re laughing.”   
“I’m laughing because you would look like an idiot. I don’t want to ruin your night.”   
“Are my jokes really that bad?”   
She nodded and laughed. “The next time, bring some jokes that are really good okay?”   
Luke stopped and stared at her, and gave her a teasing smile “So, there will be a next time?”  
Clearly she wasn’t going to back down from his challenge and looked at him and smirked “Only if you bring good ones.”   
“I will.” 

 

He certainly will.


	5. When they planned their future

Ashton found Luke sleeping on the couch holding Chloe’s letter close to his heart, gripping it as if he was holding Chloe and if he didn’t hold on tight, she would somehow be taken away from him.   
It pained Ashton to see him like this and it broke his heart knowing that he was a part of the reason why he’s suffering. All of this because of a promise; Ashton hated his self for that because he can’t break a promise he made and Chloe used that to her advantage, but after years of keeping it, he understood why he did it.  Calum saw him looking at Luke and so he told Ashton that he wanted to talk. 

So they went outside and did just that.   
 “Is she okay?” Calum asked, hinting the worry for his ‘sister’  
“Yeah. She is.” Ashton sighed and added “For now.”   
“What do you mean?”   
“I can’t tell you. I’m sorry.”   
“Well, does she know how Luke is holding up? He’s a mess. The guy from 2 years ago is showing up.”   
“DO you really think that Chloe isn’t suffering herself?” Ashton got defensive of her, because he knew.  
“How would you know?”   
“I just do okay? And I can tell you that if you can see Luke suffering like that, Chloe is suffering even more.”   
“Then why don’t they just get back together? They clearly love each other. Why does she have to make it so complicated?” Calum asked Ashton. “Why did she break up with Luke? There, just answer that last question.”   
“If you want to know why ask Luke.”   
“Ask Luke what?” Michael interrupted.   
“Why Chloe and Luke broke up.”   
“Oh. Well stop it. He’s looking for you guys. I think there’s something wrong with him.”   
It wasn’t something though.   
Everything is wrong with Luke. 

 

“I want to find her.” Luke stated before they could ask what’s wrong.   
“No.” Ashton stated.   
“Why not? She wants to be found!” Luke yelled at Ashton.   
“You read her letter right? Because I am sure as hell that she would tell you not to find her.” Ashton stated confidently.   
“Well then you clearly don’t know her that well because Chloe always---always wants to be found and I will find her.”   
“Luke—“   
“Why does it seem that you don’t want me to find her? What is it that you’re so fucking afraid of for me to see?” Luke lashed out because he’s had enough. Usually it was Ashton who will tell him to do things, especially involving Chloe, but for the last few years Ashton became a totally different person.   
Luke thought that he was a different person, little did he know that Ashton became one. 

Ashton was clearly fuming too because he just screamed the words “Because you won’t like what you will fucking see!”   
And they all became silent.   
Till Ashton’s phone rang and the caller ID read Chloe.   
He answered it immediately in hopes that he would calm down when he hears that she’s fine.  
“Chloe?” the three boys turned to look at him but they knew by the look on Ashton’s face that it wasn’t Chloe.   
“It’s Amy. I’m worried Ash.”  
“Is that her??” Luke asked, Ashton shook his head.   
“Why?” Ashton asked Amy.

Amy told Ashton her worries, and Ashton assured her that it will be all right; She would be all right. 

The call ended after that. 

“I need to find her.” Luke confessed.   
“We all do, but Luke, we’ve got shows and—“  
“Fuck the shows Calum. She would—“  
“Want you to do the show Luke.” Michael spoke up after a long time. “The only time I’ve seen her so happy besides being with you was when she’s watching us perform live.”  
“but she…”   
“She will watch the concert” Ashton said the words so quietly as if it was a secret he was afraid to share. “She always does.”   
“She does?” Calum asked, Ashton nodded.   
“How do you know?”  
“She promised us right? I thought it was a joke but, there are times that I’ve seen her in the V.I.P section.”  
“Then let’s use that to our advantage!” Michael spoke up, “Let’s you know hand out pictures of her or post a picture of her on Twitter asking people to look at her in our shows, or practically anywhere.” The other three fell silent contemplating the idea that Michael handed “Come on. We were born with these technologies, let’s not waste it.” 

 

And so they did. A picture of Chloe circulated the internet, others trying to find her and others trying to find information about her.   
It trended on Twitter with the hashtag ‘FindingChloe’.  
Michael, Luke, Ashton and Calum spent hours on the internet looking at what people tweeted or if there are pictures of her, anything that would give them hope.   
The other half of the fandom that is gathering information about Chloe Lyle ended up with only her Name, and Birthday. She didn’t have Facebook, Twitter or Tumblr. They did find an Instagram account but it was private with 0 following, and 124 posts and 1 follower. 

What they didn’t know was that, Chloe deleted her self in the internet 2 years ago when she started dating Luke.   
Because she knew their potential and she was afraid of being exposed in the internet. 

*

“HOW’S IT GOING MANILA!!” Calum asked the whole arena shouted.  
“Okay. Calum you asked that for like 5 times now.” Michael remarked and everyone else laughed.   
“So, this next song is a very special song that our dear friend Luke will give the introduction to.”   
The whole arena chanted Luke’s name and so he smiled. Maybe not like the way he used to, but it was a start.  
“This next song, is a very special song. It’s about a special girl—-“ The crowd went wild. Everyone was expecting to hear a name but all they got was “—girl named Amnesia.”   
All of them laughed, even Ashton. 

“I drove by all the places we used to hang out getting wasted.” 

Everyone sang along to the words but they can hear a certain sadness in Luke’s voice. It didn’t escape their cunning eyes the way Luke scanned the crowd looking for a certain someone. 

Luke scanned the crowd. 

And standing there, looking at him is Chloe Lyle, the most important girl in his life.

*  
Before the encore, Chloe made her way out.   
She always leaves before the last song because she doesn’t want to hear them say good bye. There’s been too many goodbyes in her life, she doesn’t think that she can handle any more of it.   
On her way out, she noticed a lot of people waiting outside, the unlucky ones who didn’t get a chance to buy a ticket.   
Another thing that she noticed was that, a girl kept on staring at her. Trying to recognize the face that she was wearing. Chloe stopped looking at the girl and decided to go home. She was travelling and she needed to go to the next country.   
She didn’t know about how half of the fans of 5 Seconds of Summer was looking for her. She didn’t know that, but in a little while later her sister, Amy would. 

*  
Twitter Update 

#FindingChloe 781k people are talking about this

“Luke!” Michael shouted, “Someone posted a picture of her!” the three lads came dashing to the couch where Michael was sitting.   
“Where?” Luke asked the grabbed Michael’s phone. 

“ LOL5SOS @5sosplswtf  
“OMFG I SAW HER SHE’S SO BEAUTIFUL. #FindingChloe”

LOL5SOS @5sosplswtf  
“#FindingChloe Just outside the Arena, wearing skinny jeans a white shirt and a leather jacket. #IFoundHer pic/QitfLj” 

“8:41 PM? That’s before the encore” Calum deduced, “She-She left before the encore. Ashton what are you doing?”   
“Amy is bombarding my phone with texts. I think she found out.” 

“I’m gonna go outside see if she’s still there.”   
“She’s not there anymore.” Michael told him after checking his phone for the 4th time.   
“Someone tweeted.”

 

“Shine @youremyshiningstar   
“Thank you @5SOS it was an amazing show! heading back to L.A now. pic.t/QitjYr” 

“This girl took a selfie and Chloe was sitting right beside her on a plane bound for L.A.” Michael told him after seeing a couple hundred of retweets as regards to the picture. 

“Why is she heading back to L.A?” Michael asked.   
“Manila is the last one for our Asian tour after that we’ll be on a break right?” Calum said remembering the details. 

“I’m going back to L.A tonight.” Luke announced.  “Luke, don’t be an idiot stay here and we’ll figure this out okay? Just, go get some rest and we’ll head to L.A tomorrow at 10 A.M.” Ashton told him, Luke was about to protest but the way Ashton said those words made him stop.   
He looked at Michael and Calum, the exhaustion from the show can be seen form their faces even though they’re smiling.  “I’m sorry.” Luke apologized “It’s just that…I really want to see her you know. I have so many questions and I really need some answers.” Luke sighed “When it comes to her I just—I don’t know, its like everything fades away and seeing her is all I could ever think about.” The boys looked at him in awe, “So I’m sorry.” 

For the first time since this happened, Ashton laughed. “All of us in here knows how much you love her, don’t you think that we wouldn’t do anything for you guys? I was hesitant at first because it was something that I promised to Chloe, and you guys know how much I hate breaking promises, so I guess I would like to apologize for that too.” Ashton took his jacket and slung it on his shoulders, “But I’m also going to apologize in advance if I won’t give any information that I now about her, not this time.” He then went out of the room and sent a message to the person in question—Chloe. 

*  
Then

“Chloe!” Luke shouted.   
“What do you want this time? I’m trying to study for fuck’s sake.”   
“Oh?” Luke asked taking a seat beside her, “What subject?”  “Chemistry, we’ll have our midterms the day after tomorrow and this is the first time that I opened my notes.” Chloe told him with a hint of annoyance that is directed to herself. “Do you need any help?” Luke asked her, knowing that she’s probably pissed at herself for opening her notes in a cucial times such as this.   
“No, I’m fine. Anyway, waht did you want to talk about?”   
He looked at herand smiled “Let’s just talk about it after your exams, I don’t want it to mess up with your brain.”   
“YA! What did you mean mess up with my brain??” Chloe shouted and swatted his head with the notes she’s been reviewing for the past hour. “I’m telling you this now, so listen carefully.” She said calming her nerves, then looked at him and smiled mischievously “If you’re planning to break-up with me, let it go. I’m not gonna let that happen, I love you too damn much.”   
 IT wasn’t Luke’s inention to break-up with her, nor has it ever crossed his mind. “Well, what if we get into a really big fight?” He asked. She took the ballpen and twirled it around her fingers, “Then we’ll talk it out. If there’s a problem we’re going to fix it.And if I push you away, because I tend to do that—-” He took her hand and interlaced their fingers which made her smile. “And if you…” he started and made her face him “…if you push me away, I’ll grab your hands and pull you closer because there will be no ‘pushing you away’ in this relationship. We’re in this together.” 

Chloe’s face felt hot and suddenly turned red. “We won’t be together for the summer if I fail an exam so go and scoot because I have to study and I really want to spend my summer with you. We’ll be together for the whole summer.”   
Luke laughed and stood up. “I’ll go now, call me when you need a ride home.”   
“What kind of nonsense are you spouting? You can’t drive, besides I’ll be fine. Bye.” Luke pouted but kissed her forehead, he didn’t want to go but Chloe needed to study. “I love you. See you later.” He then left her without telling her about the band’s decision to move to London.  
**  
“But…what if Chloe breaks up with me? What if she can’t handle the long distance…what if…” Luke expressed his thoughts to guys during a band practice.  “Luke, she already told you that you guys are not going to break up. Do you really think that she’s going to break up with you? Just because you want to pursue your dreams?” Ashton told him while he was taping up his drums.  
“What if all those times that we’ll spend together she’s going to find someone better then break up with me?”   
Michael laughed as if he heard the funniest joke ever made.  “Dude, there are so many times that she already met someone better. But what did she do? She didn’t even bat an eye, she’s in love with you, give her some credit.”  
“Luke, before imagining those stuffs, you must first tell Chloe about this okay?” Calum told him.

“Tell me about what?” Chloe asked when she appeared in the front door.   
“Chloe..” Luke started off.  “You’re not seriously thinking of breaking up with me are you? Because that speech earlier would’ve been so awkward.” Chloe told him as she took a seat at the couch where Michael was. “No, that’s not it, it’s something serious.”   
“Holy shit. You’re not dying aren’t you?”   
Luke face-palmed, since she has to know the truth he decided to just break it out. “Chloe, the band’s moving to London.” 

‘Oh’ was the only thing that came out of Chloe’s mouth. Then she became completely silent. The others began to worry. They’re really close to Chloe and treat her like a part of the family but if she’s really against this they wouldn’t know what to do. 

“When are you guys leaving?” She asked after an eerie silence.   
“Next Sunday.” Ashton told her.   
“Okay. I’m going to go home right now…” Chloe muttered.   
“Chloe.”  “I have to go. I’ll call you.” Chloe smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. Ahston held Luke back because he had every intention of following her, and knowing Chloe, she wouldn’t like that. 

CHloe didn’t call the next day so Luke did, however Amy was the one to pick up the call and not the one he intended to.    
“Luke? What did you do this time?”  “What? She’s crying. Oh god.”   
“What? No she’s not—“  
“What do you mean?”   
“She didn’t go home till late last night. She came from the library—“  
“She didn’t she was with me last night”   
“Then how would you explain all the books that she carried last night?”  “What do you mean?”  “She put all of her electronics in my room and told me to not disturb her because she’ll be studying. Did you guys have one of your bets again?”  
“What no! She’s studying? She didn’t say anything?”  “Yeah. She’ll only come out of the room to eat and that would be exactly 20 minutes everyday. We see her for roughly an hour per day. I don’t think she sleeps. So tell me what happened?”   
“N-Nothing..I’m going to hang up now.” 

 

“What did she say?” Ashton asked.   
“It was Amy. And she said that Chloe locked herself up in her room because she was studying…”  “Really? MAybe she’s lying? Maybe she’s crying.” Michel told him not making the situation any better so Calum threw a pair of boxers at him and said “Shut up.” 

Luke tried to go to her house on Monday to wish her good luck for her exams but she wasn’t there. They said that she left early for school because her exam starts at 7 A.M. Which was odd because her exams should start around noon. 

“Give her some space man.” Michael said as they entered the cafe where it all started. It was already 4 in the afternoon and Chloe still hasn’t contacted them. “Oh. Luke! What are you doing here?” Jane asked. “Shouldn’t you be at the school? Chloe would need some serious cheering.”  “What do you mean?” Ashton asked clearly confused.  “She’s taking all of her exams today right? That’s why she told me that she wouldn’t attend work for this week.”  
“The whole week? Wait…She took the tests today? All of it?” Calum asked surprised “That must’ve been 7 subjects”  
“It was 9 subjects.” Jane corrected him.  “Why would she do that? She’s going to fail!”  “No. She’s not.” Joey told him, “She’s a really bright student you know. You didn’t know that she’s the top of her class?”  “Yeah. I know that but to take on 9 subjects for a day? That’s suicide! Her parents would surely—“   
“You still don’t know about her photographic memory?” Jane asked him.  
Joey laughed and said “She has photographic memory, well a bit. And on top of that she’s a really intelligent kid.”  “Why isn’t she the top 1 in her grade then?”   
“That’s because she doesn’t even bother to study. She’s busy working for Amy, since she went here 6 months ago because she doesn’t want to live with their parents anymore. CHloe’s the one supporting Amy’s education and the one teaching her, on top of that she has to remain in the top 5 of the class becasue she applied for the scholarship.” Jane explained like it was a known fact.   
“You’re her boyfriend right? Then why is it that you have no idea about these stuffs about her?” Joey asked.  “She—“  “Aish. You know how she is. She wouldn’t bother him with stuffs like that especially now.” Jane said smacking his brother. 

She was going through these kinds of hardships and he was too pre-occupied to see it. They were in a relationship and he was only focused on his dreams when in fact he should’ve been focused on both of their dreams.   “Dante was wrong. BEcause this day was from the 10th circle of hell.” Chloe appeared at the door and Luke immedietly hugged her.   
“What the hell were you thinking?”  She looked confused then let go of his hug. “Well, I was thinking that if I finish the exams in one day I would be able to spend my week with you.”  “You—You weren’t mad?”  She laughed “Why would I be mad? This is your dream, and I will support you.”   
“But this will be a pretty big change. For me, for us.” Luke told her as they sat down.   
“Look.” She said holding his hand, “Whatever change you might need I will be there with you through it all, I won’t ask you to never change because not changing would mean not growing. As an artist you must grow in order to explore stuffs needed in you music. I love you, okay? And I will never leave you side.” 

Calum, Michael and Ashton sat there in stunned silence thinking about what Luke did in his past or present life to deserve a girl like Chloe. 

Little did they know, Luke asks that question every single day.


	6. The Lying Game

Chloe Lyle is a liar.  
In some ways. But don’t get me wrong, she wasn’t born a liar, it’s just the circumstances that made her that way.  
There was a time when she was six or seven years old that she promised to not lie anymore, it lasted for about a month or so when she told her mom that she wasn’t the one who ate the last slice of pizza. She totally did.  
So the next year, she made that promise again only to be broken in a few months. The longest time that that promise stood was when Luke and Chloe were in their long distance relationship.  
No, she didn’t lie to Luke. She lied to herself. Simple white lies to get her going like: “I’m alright.” “It’s nothing.” “He’s busy, let him sleep.” “It’s just a headache.” “Your parents loves you.” “You’ll be okay.”  
Lies. Lies. Lies. But her father, taught her that trick, once you repeat a lie enough you’ll start to believe that it’s true. And so, she did.  
**  
Their relationship ran smoothly for the first few months.  
Both of them promising to call or leave a message and even with the time difference they would still find a way to talk to each other on Skype just to see each other’s faces.  
And soon enough, she began lying to Luke. The most common lie that she told him were the words “I’m fine.”  
She said that it was okay to lie about that, because with every ‘I love you’ she says the truth from it, shines brighter than the lie she told.  
She made it up though, she decided to go back to London even if it’s just for a month to be with him. That was her original plan after all.   
“Are you really okay?” Amy asked her, “Going back there I mean.”  
“Amy. I’ll be with Luke. Don’t worry about me okay?” Chloe assured her. “It’s just for a month, then I’ll be back to working, then when I reach 18 I’ll probably get custody of you since you’re 16 and technically still a minor but, we’ll work things out.”  
It was a long flight.  
She managed to get some sleep but it only gave her nightmares.  
After getting back her luggage she decided to call the person she came here for.  
“Hey.” His voice never fails to make her laugh.  
“Hey so where should I go when I go there tomorrow?”  
“Uhh. Well just go..”  
She kept it a secret from Luke. She wanted to see the look on his face when she opens the door and says “I’m home”  
Because her home was never a house, it was him.  
**  
Ashton didn’t wait for the lads, he hurried outside the airplane and took out his phone hoping that Chloe would somehow reply to his message.  
She didn’t. He was left with no other choice but to call her.  
She didn’t speak. It was a part of her condition, she will answer his calls but she doesn’t necessarily have to talk.  
“He’s dying to be with you.”  
“He still loves you.”  
“Please just talk to him.”  
A single tear rolled down his cheeks, and when he was about to end the call she muttered four simple words.  
“Ashton. I can’t breathe.” Then he heard a thud.  
He panicked.  
“Chloe. Fuck! CHLOE! ANSWER ME”  
He quickly got into his car and then drove off, leaving the boys wondering as to what happened to him.  
Ashton quickly dialled Amy’s number and luckily she answered on the first ring. “AMY! Where is she? She can’t breathe, and I need to know where is she. Damn it. MOVE OUT OF THE FUCKING WAY!”  
“Fuck. I’ll text you her place.”  
The address that he got lead him to a run-down motel then he saw her car. When he got inside she saw her lying on the bed with the phone on the floor. He quickly grabbed the oxygen tank that was in the corner and set it up to help her breathe. Only when she opened her eyes was Ashton able to calm down.  
“What the fuck happened to you?”  
“I forgot to drink my meds earlier, I blacked out.”   
“Chloe, this isn’t funny.” Ashton said when Chloe laughed.  
Her laugh was still the same laugh that they used to hear, but when he looked at her…she was thinner, it’s like the light from her eyes was slowly fading.  
“Now you know why I don’t want you guys to see me.” She said sadly.  
“Where are you planning to go after this?” Ashton said looking around, he saw a box of pizza and a can of beer.  
“You guys will be staying in here right? For the recording stuff?” Ashton didn’t know how Chloe knew that but he nodded. “Well, I’ll be going back to London I guess. My flight is in a week, and besides my mum said that my doctor was there.”  
“You’ll be staying at a hospital?” Chloe nodded and smiled. “They reckon that my body will fail in the next few weeks. They already time-stamped my life.”  
“Please talk to Luke.” Ashton blurted out.  
“I’m planning to. After you give him this.” She handed him the letter on her bedside table “I’m sorry for imposing on you Ashton. This will be the last time.”  
Ashton did not like the sound of that.  
An hour and few stops later Ashton finally arrived to their house.  
“Where did you go?”  
“Chloe told me to give you this.”  
“You met with Chloe?” Luke asked, enraged “Where? Why didn’t you tell me?”  
“I don’t want to talk about it Luke.”  
Ashton went to his room, and he fucking cried.  
**  
“What did she say?” asked Michael.  
“She said that she wants to meet with me…a week from now.” But Luke wasn’t smiling.  
“Shouldn’t you be happy?”  
“I’m just scared. I mean, what if—“  
“What?”  
“What if Ashton was right? What if she’s different…What if.”  
“Forget about your what ifs Luke. You’ll see her again.”

Calum was right. He’ll see her again.  
He made her fall for him once, he could do it again.

Lucas is prepared to win her back. But Chloe is finally ready to say her goodbye.  
**  
A week later, Luke went to the café before it even opened. He didn’t like the thought of making Chloe wait so he went there as early as possible.  
Based on the letter that Chloe gave him, she was going to tell him something important today, something that can’t be told in letters or text messages. And judging by the look on Ashton’s face, it was pretty serious.  
He was supposed to be ready for anything. That’s what his relationship with Chloe taught him. Always be ready for everything, Chloe was full of surprises and these surprises made him love her even more so than usual.  
Chloe stepped inside of café at exactly 12:34 in the afternoon.  
Luke was staring right at the door, and when their eyes met, it took him back to back when they first met. Chloe started walking towards the booth and called for a waitress when she sat down.  
“I’ll get a hot chocolate please, and pancakes.” Luke noticed a slight change in her voice, though it did not sound exactly the way it was before, it still made his heart jump, his brain melt, and the butterflies in his stomach flutter. “Do you want anything Lucas?”  
His entire existence just vanished.  
“I love you.” He told Chloe.  
She ignored him.  
“I’ll take a strawberry cheesecake and chamomile tea please.” She looked at him, her eyes looking at the stories, searching for the truth and meaning behind those three simple words that he said. “You sure you’re not going to get anything?” Lucas shook his head, he didn’t have that much of an appetite even though he didn’t get enough sleep or food yesterday.  
“You like strawberries now?” Lucas asked her, she looked shocked, like she was not expecting him to remember any details about her. This made him smile, “Yeah, I still remember. You hate strawberries, you don’t like them on cakes, ice creams or anywhere. You hated strawberry as a flavor but you love to chew on it though.”  
“I wasn’t expecting you to remember any of that.” She muttered staring at his eyes.  
“Well I can’t—“ he couldn’t finish the sentence because she suddenly looked away, as though she would bleed out if he decides to finish that sentence.  
“You’ve got questions. Ask away, I have to leave early.”   
“Do you promise to tell me the truth this time?”   
She looked at him and said “Of course I will.” lie

I told you remember? Chloe Lyle is a liar. 

“Where are you staying right now? When do you leave? Where are you going?” Luke asked all at once. Chloe had to put up her hand and said “Woah woah woah, stop calm down. I know I said hurry up but not like that.” Luke caught a glimpse of the smile he once fell for, though I guess he still is.   
“I’m jumping from town to town, rented a car then stayed in some motels just to get by. I’m leaving in a few hours, I’m heading back to London.”   
“London? What are you going to do in London? Are you going to stay there for good?”   
“Yeah,” Chloe laughed one that’s full of pain, regret and sadness “I’ll be staying there for good.”  
They’ve talked about the usual things, it was like Luke was trying to win her back. But when the waitress gave them their desserts, he asked “Why did you leave me?”

“I left for your own good. Yes, I know that it was selfish but after all of this you’ll understand. Well, I hope that you would.”   
“How can I understand something if you won’t even tell me what it is? It was our relationship Chloe, and you didn’t tell me anything. You just left.”  
“It doesn’t concern you okay.”   
“You know that’s bullshit Chloe, anything that would affect our relationship, is also my problem. You’ve always handled everything on your own. And I told you that I am here for you, why can’t you just let me?”   
“I’m sick. I’m getting my treatments done that’s why I had to leave.” Lie.  
Luke was stunned. “And you didn’t tell me? Chloe, I could’ve been there for you! I should’ve been there for you.”   
“And leave the band? No! It was your dream, you told me that.”  
“The boys would understand. And you were far more important than that.”   
“Bullshit. I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked to reach that point in your lives. You’ve already started gaining popularity and I can’t just take you away from them. It was your dream, I don’t want to take it away from you.”   
“But I deserved to know Chloe.”  
“I spared you from the guilt and pain.”  
“And you decided that it would be your burden? Again? Chloe this is our relationship.”  
“You didn’t have to know. And frankly you weren’t supposed to know.”  
“Yeah which is why you told Ashton not to tell me. How come he knew and not me? I’m your boyfriend for christ’s sake.”  
“Was”   
He looked confused “What?”  
“You were my boyfriend. Past tense. We broke up. Remember?”   
“Of course I fucking remember Chloe. It’s the only thing that I can think about the past few years.”   
She took a sharp breath. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry Luke. I left you that night because I knew that you deserved better.”   
“Ashton told me that you tried to kill yourself a week before we broke up.”   
Chloe looked at him and with a sad smile she said “I did. I told you, you deserve better.”   
“Why did you try to kill yourself? Why didn’t you tell me?”   
“There wasn’t anything that you could’ve done.”   
“You don’t know that” But she does. There wasn’t anything that anyone could’ve done. She was so sure that she would die that night. If it wasn’t for Ashton looking for Luke’s stupid pick, she would be dead right now. “How come you told Ashton everything?”  
“He wasn’t supposed to find out. But he saw me, when I was about to kill myself. And I told him everything.”   
“Why can’t you tell me? I deserved to kno--”  
“You deserved to know the truth but you didn’t deserve to suffer. Did I answer all of your questions then, I have to leave soon.”  
“Can I go with you?”  
“No.”  
“Can you promise not to lie?” Luke asked. She laughed, she got caught.  
“Just once,” she agreed “after that I’m gone.”  
“Do you still love me?”

She laughed and gathered up her things then she went outside.   
Luke left money on the table then ran after her. “Chloe!”   
Before she stepped inside her car she answered his question. 

“I do. I still do. And I always will.”


End file.
